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Oral History Interview with Joe Mason, August 26, 2008 transcript

Oral History Interview with Joe Mason, August 26, 2008

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joe Mason. Mason entered the Navy in September of 1944. He completed storekeeper school at Samson, New York. He trained and served on a PT boat throughout the war. They traveled to Samar, Philippines on 1 September 1945, which he describes his experiences. He was stationed at PT Base 17. The war was over by the time he traveled overseas. He discusses his time in Samar and witnessed the burning of the PT boats. He traveled to other Philippine Islands and was discharged in June of 1946.
Date: August 26, 2008
Creator: Mason, Joe
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Perry Camp, August 26, 2005 transcript

Oral History Interview with Perry Camp, August 26, 2005

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Perry Camp. Camp spent a year in Honolulu working as a high scaler, scaling cliffs and building ammunition dumps after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Camp was then drafted into the Navy in 1943. He was trained as a gunner’s mate and completed schooling for electrical and hydraulics. He served as an instructor on the 5-inch guns. His position was fuse center and sight center. He discusses his position on his ship and provides detail of the weapons. He describes witnessing the commissioning of the USS Hugh W. Hadley (DD-774) in November of 1944. He worked aboard the destroyer preparing it for the sea. They shipped out of San Diego in February of 1945. They participated in the Battle of Okinawa. Camp describes this experience, including the ship being hit by a Kamikaze plane. Camp was discharged sometime after the war ended.
Date: August 26, 2005
Creator: Camp, Perry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with George Gibbons, August 26, 2004 transcript

Oral History Interview with George Gibbons, August 26, 2004

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Gibbons. Gibbons completed infantry training in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M his freshman and sophomore years of college. In January of 1943 he gave up his exemption for college and volunteered for the Army. He completed the Army Special Training Program, and volunteered for the paratroopers. Gibbons completed jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He also completed Demolition School. He traveled with replacement paratroopers to England in April of 1944, and joined the 82nd Airborne Division. He participated in the Normandy landings in June, Operation Market Garden in August and the Battle of the Bulge in December. He shares details of his combat experiences. After the war ended, he remained in Germany on guard duty, and completed college courses in England and France. He returned home and was discharged in December of 1945.
Date: August 26, 2004
Creator: Gibbons, George
System: The Portal to Texas History